Sewing machines



Jan. 31, 1961 A. H. ERIKSSON' SEWING MACHINES Filed June 8, 1954 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 In UCIZICQE Jan. 31, H. sso

SEWING MACHINES Filed June 8, 1954 SSheets-Sheet 2 Fig.6b Fig.6d Fig.6f Fig.6h

luv elwor .fIEZ 1550 012/ Jan. 31, 1961 ERIKSSON 2,969,756

SEWING MACHINES Filed June 8, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 as 4 8 gs 9/ Fig 38 a? L/a Fig.1?

in v fi'll'COl d .fiEr zlcs on nited States SEWING NIACHINES Allan Herman Eriksson, Huskvarna, Sweden, assignor to Husqvarna Vapenfabriks Aktiebolag, Huskvarna, Sweden, a corporation of Sweden This invention relates to zigzag sewing machines the hollow frame or casing of which comprises an overhanging sewing or needle carrying arm supporting a transversely movable bearing for a needle-bar and housing a longitudinal drive-shaft for imparting longitudinal movement to the needle-bar. Such machines are generally provided with a manually operable device whereby the magnitude of the lateral movements of the needle-bar (the stitch width) can be regulated. By a continuous, manual adjustment of such a device in various ways it is possible to produce zigzag seams of various patterns. It is, however, difficult or impossible in this way to obtain a patterned seam of satisfactory uniformity.

It is an object of the invention to provide a zigzag sewing machine having a manually as well as an automatically operable stitch width control device of great versatility and convenience in use.

A further object is to provide a stitch width control device comprising a plurality of interconnected cams which are readily and selectively connectible with the needle-bar to produce different embroidery patterns.

A still further object is to provide a relatively simple and compact cam-operable control device which may be easily built into the machine, preferably in place of the known manually operable control device whereby an ordinary zigzag sewing machine may be readily converted to automatic operation.

These and further objects of the invention, as well as the different forms in which the invention can be embodied, will be readily understood by those skilled in the art from the following description of exemplary constructions shown in the appended drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a somewhat diagrammatic front view, partly in section, of pertinent parts of a sewing machine according to the invention.

Figure 2 shows a section on line 22 in Figure 1, on an enlarged scale.

Figure 3 shows a detail section on line 3-3 in Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a plan-view of a set of cams interconnected to a unit which is easily detachable from the rest of the machine.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary side elevation showing a cam-follower in inoperative position.

Figures 6a to 6h illustrate various examples of zigzag seams which the machine can produce.

Figure 7 is a side-view of one of the cams.

Figure 8 is a fragmentary view, partly in section, and illustrating an alternative form of the driving device for imparting lateral motion to the needle.

Figure 9 is a fragmentary view, partly in section, illustrating the general arrangement of Figure 2 supplemented by means effecting automatic displacement of the cams.

Figure 9A is an end view of the structure shown in Figure 9.

Figure 10 is a detail-view on line 1010 in Figure 9.

Figure 11 is an end-view of a modified device for axially displacing the cams.

tgnt 2,969,756 Patented Jan. 31, 1961 ice Figure 12 shows a vertical section on line 1212 in Figure 11.

Figure 13 is a view partly in 'vertical section, parallel to the axis of the cams, through an embodiment of a device including means for effecting an axial displacement of the cam-follower.

Figure 14 is a front view of the handle and dial included in the arrangement of Figure 13.

The machine shown in Figure 1 is primarily designed for domestic use. Its hollow frame or casing 1 comprises an upper, overhanging needle-carrying arm 2 and a work support 3 which, if desired, may be a cantilevered arm. The upper arm carries a movable bearing 4 accommodating a substantially vertical needle-bar 5, that is movable longitudinally of the bearing 4 and carries a needle 6. The needle bar is connected with a rotary drive-shaft 7 extending longitudinally of the arm 2 by a crank mechanism comprising components 8, 9, 10 which may be known per se and which impart a longitudinal, reciprocating movement to the needle-bar at each revolution of the drive-shaft. The latter is journalled in journals 11, 12 supported in the frame and may be the main drive-shaft of the machine, also driving a loop-taker in the work support 3 and a reciprocating feed-dog also mounted in the work support and adapted to feed the fabric stepwise in the transverse direction of the arm 2 (substantially perpendicularly to the plane of the sheet in Figure 1). Said parts may be of known construction and are therefore not shown or more closely described. The length and direction of the feed step may in known manner be regulated by means of a handle 13.

For producing zigzag seams the needle-bar is also reciprocable laterally. To this end the bearing 4 is swingably mounted at its upper end on a horizontal pivot 14 extending perpendicular to the drive shaft. If desired, however, the bearing could be swingable about a vertical axis. The driving means for imparting lateral motion to the needle comprises a plurality of, in the shown embodiment five, separate earns 15 mounted side by side on a common, preferably horizontal axle or cam shaft 16 (Figure 2). The axle or shaft 16 extends perpendicular to and is below drive shaft 7 and is connected for rotation therewith by means of worm gears 17, 18. In the embodiment shown the axle or cam shaft 16 is hollow and rotatably mounted on a cantilevered stub shaft 19 fixedly mounted in the frame. The axle 16 is secured to the shaft 19 by means of a screw 20 mounted in the end of the stub shaft. The cams, one of which is separately shown in Figure 7, are preferably non-rotatably mounted on a hub sleeve 21 slid on to but easily detachable from the axle 16 The cams together with the sleeve 21 constitute a unit, separately illustrated in Figure 4, and which can easily be removed from axle or shaft 16 through an opening 22 provided in a rear, optionally detachable wall part 23 of the frame at a location opposite shaft 19. The cams are clamped between a collar or flange 24 on the hub sleeve 21 and a nut 25 screwed on to the outer end of the sleeve. If desired, the nut 25 can be formed as a knob and provided with a preferably resilient catch 26 for fixing the axial position of the sleeve. In the embodiment shown the cams should be alternately set-opposite a common cam-follower 27. To this end the screw 20 is provided with five equidistant, peripheral grooves 28 for receiving the latch 26 which is swingable on an axial pin 29 and adapted to engage any of the grooves under the pressure of a spring 30. Furthermore, the axle 16 is provided with an axial driving pin 31 engaging in a driving sleeve 32 rigidly connected with the hub sleeve 21 and, in its turn, preferably engaging eccentric holes 33 in the cams. The knob 25 Wholly or partly extends beyond the wall part 23. To

the latter may be screwed a dial 34 with indexes corresponding to the various earns, the indexes being situated opposite a certain part of the knob, such as its end surface 35, when the cam in question is opposite the camfollower.

The driving device for the lateral motion .of the needle should also comprise a manually variable movement connection between the cam-follower and the bearing 4, preferably a pivotally mounted guide 36 and a guidefollower 37 manually displaceable along the .cams. In the embodiment shown the guide is swingable together with the cam-follower 27, these parts being provided on opposite sides of an arm 38 which is swingable vertically on a pivot 39. The guide-follower is formed on one end of a rod 40 which is movable in a vertical plane and which, at its opposite end, is articulated to the bearing 4 by means of a pin 41. The guide-follower 37 engages a groove guide 36 in arm 3.8 under the pressure of a spring, preferably a leaf spring 42 bearing against the bearing arm 4. The follower is also guided laterally by the guide groove. The guide-follower is manually disp-laceable along the guide groove by actuating a handle 43 mounted on a shaft 44 that is journalled in the front wall of frame 2 and carries an arm 45, which is connected with the rod 40 by a link 46.

For the purpose of shifting the needle position the pivot 39 is preferably manually adjustable substantially in the longitudinal direction of the rod 40. In the embodiment shown this pivot is thus mounted on one arm 47 of a two-armed lever, the other arm 48 of which is forked and actuated by an eccentric pin 49 on a shaft 50 journalled in the frame and provided with a handle 51 mounted in the front wall of the frame 2. The lever has a hub 54 turnably mounted about a pivot pin 52 carried by an arm 53 that is rigidly connected with the stub shaft 19.

The ratio of the worm gear 17, 18 should be such that the cams make one revolution during an even number of revolutions of the shaft 7, at least six, say '12, 18,24ora greater number. If the cam-follower follows a regularly toothed cam with half as many teeth, all of the same height, the needle receives a lateral swinging motion in such timed relation to its longitudinal movements that an ordinary zigzag seam is obtained, Figure 6a. Such a cam, 15a, is partially shown in Figure 5. The amplitude of the swinging motion (the width of the seam) decreases with the distance between the guide-follower 37 and the swinging centre of the guide, by actuating handle 43. If the guide-follower is set opposite the pivot 39 or somewhat above a straight line through the pins 39 and 41, the cam-follower is swung from the cam into an inoperative position, Figure 5, wherein no swinging movement is transmitted to the bearing 4 and consequently, an ordinary, straight seam is obtained upon rotation of shaft 7. The length of the stitches depends upon the position of the handle 13. In this position of the cam-follower the latter and the cams are mutually displaceable axially in any angular position of the cams. Having seized the knob 25 and, in so doing, moved the latch 26 from engagement with a notch 28, one can thus freely displace the cams axially. After the desired cam has been set opposite the cam-follower, the knob 25 is released, whereupon the latch 26 will automatically engage within the corresponding groove 28 and fix the cams in the new position. If the guide-follower 37 is thereupon lowered by means of the handle 43, whereby the cam-follower is brought in contact with the selected cam, and the machine is started, a zigzag seam is obtained having a pattern corresponding to the profile of the cam. Switching from one pattern-cam to another thus takes place rapidly and conveniently. If the selected cam has a shape according to Figure 7, a pattern substantially according to Figure 6g is obtained at each revolution of the cam 15b with the lengthof the pattern depending on the position of the handle 13 and the maximum width thereof depending on the position of the handle 43. Both positions may be varied manually while the respective cams are in operation. Figures 6b to 6f show examples of other, complicated zigzag seams which may be obtained with other cams, the points 55 indicating the limits between consecutive lock-stitches. A seam according to Figure 6c is indeed a straight zigzag seam as to its general shape, but its width is the composite width of a plurality of, in the example, three stitches.

The machine described may easily be provided with the selection of cams for which the purchaser thinks he will have the best use. If the purchaser should change his mind as to one or more of the cams, these may readily be substituted by others, after the aggregate shown in Figure 4 has been removed from the machine. For removing the cam unit, the cam-follower 37 is moved into inoperative position by means of the handle 43, and the latch 26 is moved from engagement in a groove 25, whereupon the aggregate is Withdrawn from the axle 16 and its elongation 20, possibly after removal of the dial 34- through the opening 22. After the knob or nut 25 has been unscrewed from the sleeve 21, the cams can easily be withdrawn from sleeve 21 and a new combination of cams may be slid on to the same, whereupon the knob is again screwed into the end of hub sleeve 21 and the latter is again slid on to the axle 16, while the latch 26 is kept in inoperative position. Each cam may be provided on one or both sides with a slight hub shoulder 56, Figure 7. The cam-follower 27, 38 may also be moved into inoperative position by moving the needle-bar 5 to the left in Figure 1, either manually or by means of some manually operated member, so that the cam-follower is released from the pressure of the springs 42 and is brought into inoperative position by either its own weight and/or a weak spring.

Instead of a driving aggregate or cam unit in substantial accordance with Figure 4 there may be mounted on the axle 16, opposite the cam-follower 27, a cam or a cam 60 of the same profile adapted to impart to the needle-bar a lateral swinging motion corresponding to a straight zigzag seam (Figure 6a). This cam, as shown in Figure 8, is preferably mounted on a sleeve 61 between a shoulder 62 thereon and a nut 63 screwed on to the sleeve. The sleeve is slid on the axle 16 into engagement with a flange or shoulder 64 and the driving pin 31 is caused to engage within a corresponding hole in the cam. The screw 20 may be replaced by a simple screw 65, fixing the axial position of the parts 16 and 61. The opening 22 in the wall 23 may be closed by a disk pressed into the same. Hereby one obtains a cheaper machine wherein zigzag seams of various patterns may be produced by manually regulating the lateral movements of the needle which machine, by the insertion of a driving aggregate according to Figure 4, can readily be converted into a more advanced machine capable also of an automatic control of the lateral movements of the needle.

In order to increase the number of different pattern or zigzag seams which may be obtained with a certain number of earns, the latter may be adapted to be auto matically displaced axially relative to the carrrfollower in such manner that at least two of the cams operate the cam-follower alternately, each preferably during one revolution. A simple device for this purpose is shown in Figures 9, 9a and 10. Mounted on the knob 25 is a cam cylinder 70 disposed coaxial of the axle 16 and maintaining the latch 26 in inoperative position. The cam cylinder is caused to rotate together with the cams, for instance by engagement with the driving sleeve 32, and is axially kept in a set position relative to the cams, for instance by friction against the knob. The cam cylinder has an axially acting cam groove arrangement constituted by a groove 71 which crosses itself at a location 72 of the circumference of the cylinder. For-the rest the groove extends in two radial planes ata mutual distance corresponding to the center distance between two adjacent cams. Engaged within the cam groove is a cam follower 73 formed at one end of a pin 74 which is disposed perpendicular to the axis of the cams and which is rotatably and slidably mounted in a lug 75 on the wall 23. In order to fix the pin 74 in position axially, the same may be provided with a collar 76 which, in the shown, operative position of the cam follower, is situated in front of a flange 77 on an arm 78 capable of being swung upwardly about a pin 79 and, preferably, like the dial 34 in Figure 2, provided with indexes for the various cams. It is supposed that the cam-follower 27 is in contact with the cams 15a and 15b when the cam follower 73 is situated in the right and left hand parts of the groove 71, respectively, and that the mutual angular position of the cams and the cam cylinder 70 is such that the cams are situated opposite the cam-follower with peripheral parts of the same radius, when the cam follower 73 is situated at the crossing-location 72. When the cam follower 73 is resting in the right hand part of the groove 71 while the cams rotate, the cam 15a is operative and produces a straight zigzag seam, Figure 6a. When the crossinglocation 72 passes the cam follower, the latter goes over to the left hand part of the groove 71, thus displacing the cam unit to the right whereby the cam 15b becomes operative instead of the cam 15a. After one revolution the cam 15b has produced a zigzag seam according to Figure 6g, and the crossing-location 72 has again reached the cam follower 73 which returns to the right hand part of the groove while displacing the cams to the left whereby the cam 15a again becomes active during one revolution, whereupon the operations described are repeated. As a result one obtains a zigzag seam according to Figure 611 composed of two different patterns, or two such seams along one another, if instead of one needle two needles are used, in known manner mounted side by side on the needle-bar 5: Other, composite seams may be produced in a similar manner by means of other cam combinations. When automatic switching is no longer desired, the arm 78 is swung up and the cam follower is slid out of engagement with the groove 71, whereupon the cam cylinder is removed from the knob 25 and the arm 78 is turned down in front of the collar 76 in pin 74.

The cams may be axially displaceable relative to the cam-follower, possibly against the action of a spring, also by means of a separate knob or handle, operatively connected with a catch disposed in the frame and operative in the axial direction of the cams. The cams may thus be operatively connected with one arm of a vertically or horizontally swingable, possibly angular lever, the other arm of which extends through a slit in the front or upper wall of the frame and serves as a handle. In the embodiment shown in Figures 11 and 12 the catch is constituted by a finger 100, secured to one end of a rod 101 which is slidable longitudinally and in the axial direction of the cams. The outer end of rod 101 extends beyond the front wall of the arm 2 and is rigidly connected with a handle 102. The rod may be slidably but non-rotatably mounted in said wall or a part fixedly mounted therein, but according to Figure 12 it is mounted to slide in the shaft 50a of the revolvable handle 51a that controls the starting positions of the zigzag seam. This shaft 50a carries the eccentric pin 49 that engages the arm 48. The handle 102 may here have the shape of a transverse plate arranged in an opening 103 in the handle 51a and capable of being set axially in different positions indicated by indexes 1114 on the handle 51a and corresponding to the operative positions of the different cams. For fixing the handle -2 in these positions the rod 101 is provided with corresponding incisions 105, which in known manner cooperate with a spring-pressed latch 106 mounted in a bore in the shaft 50a. The finger 100 is preferably swingably mounted on the rod 101 and part of their circumference.

adapted, under the pressure of a spring 107 to engage a peripheral groove 108 in the nut 25a that fastens the cams on the hub sleeve 21. The rotary axle 16 is maintained in correct position on the stub shaft 19 by a short screw 20a mounted in the end of said shaft. If the rear wall part 23 is detachable, the same need not be provided with an opening 22 opposite the cams. For the rest the arrangement may be the same as in Figures 1 and 2.

The finger is in engagement with the nut 25a in every normal angular position of the handle 51a which, for the purpose of altering the starting position of the zigzag seams, has to be revolvable only through a relatively narrow angle, generally substantially less than half a revolution. When the machine is at a standstill and the cam-follower 27 is in an inoperative position, the cams can, by means of the handle 102, be conveniently displaced one or more steps against the yielding action of the latch 106. After the wall part 23 has been removed and the finger 100 has been turned away against the action of the spring 107, the unit of parts 15, 21, 25a can easily be withdrawn from the axle 16 and the screw 20a with the part 25a serving as a handle. In place thereof a unit of parts 60 to 63 according to Figure 8 may be mounted on the axle by means of a screw 65, in order to provide a more simple machine wherein ornamental seams can be produced solely by manually regulating the lateral movements of the needle. In such machine the setting device 1001tl2 may be omitted. The feature consisting in that this device is combined with a handle required also in the more simple machine, substantially facilitates the conversion of this machine into a more advanced machine capable also of an automatic regulation of the lateral movements of the needle.

The cams may generally be given the same radius at a When this part is situated opposite the nose 27 of the cam follower, the cams can be displaced relative to the cam-follower also when the latter is in operative position and the machine is running, where by such composite ornamental seams may be produced whereof an example has been shown in Figure 6h. In an arrangement according to Figures 11 and 12 the displacement may take place automatically by essentially the same means as shown in Figures 9 and 10, viz. a camcylinder firmly mounted on the nut 25a and engaging a cam follower revolvably mounted on an arm corresponding to the arm or finger 100. In devices of the kind shown in Figures 11 and 12 the displacement during work may preferably be performed also manually. To facilitate the choice of a suitable moment for the displacement, a blocking member 110, preferably mounted on the wall part 23, is adapted to cooperate with a substantially circular disk 111 rotatable together with the cams and coaxial thereto and, preferably, mounted between the cams and the nut 25a. The circumference of the disk 111 extends into any of a plurality of notches 112 provided in the blocking member at mutual distances apart equal to those of the cams. The tongues on the blocking member are movable through a recess 113 in the circumference of the disk 111, when the above-mentioned peripheral part 114 of the cams at which the latter have the same radius, is opposite the cam-follower 27. When the cams are to be displaced one or more steps, for instance to the right in Figure 12, the handle 1tl2 may be urged to the right in good time before the recess 113 has reached the blocking member which, during this stage, is in contact with one side of the disk 111. The desired displacement takes place only after the forward edge 116' of the recess 113 has passed the tongue on the blocking member, whereupon the disk engages another notch in the blocking member. At an unskillful manipulation, the rear edge 115 of the recess 113 might hit a tongue on the blocking member between a pair of notches 112. Therefore, the blocking member is preferably yieldable in the direction of movement of the disk 111. It may, for instance, be swingably mounted on a pin 117,

parallel to the axis of the cams, but normally held in contact with an abutment 119 by a spring 118.

In the embodiments above described the cams are axially displaceable and provided with a common aXially non-displaceable cam-follower. The cams may, however, also be axially immovable and provided with a common cam-follower, displaceable in the axial direction of the cams. In a machine in substantial accordance with Figures l and 2 a cam-follower 38:: Figure 13, provided with a guide groove 35a corresponding to the guide groove 36, may thus be swingably as well as slidably mounted on the pin 39. A device for effecting displacement of the cam-follower comprises a rod 82 extending parallel to the pin 39 and slidable but non-rotatably mounted in a sleeve '83 that is mounted in an aperture in the front wall of the frame arm 2. The rod 82 is rigidly connected at one end with a finger 81, the outer end of which engages in a groove 89 extending perpendicularly to the pin 39 and provided along the top side of the cam-follower. The opposite end of rod 82 is connected to a cam cylinder 84 having a helical groove 85 therein. Engaging the latter is a pin 86 secured in a sleeve 87 which is turnable but axially fixed Within the sleeve 83 and provided with an actuating handle 88 disposed on the front side of the arm 2. By turning this handle while the cam-follower is in inoperative position, the cam-follower 33a can be positioned opposite any of the cams. A slight play in the hinge 41 and in the joints of the link i6 permits the guide-follower 37 to partake in the lateral movement of the cam-follower. The hub sleeve 21 carrying the cams may be fixedly mounted on the axle 16, not shown in Figure 13, in substantially the same way as the sleeve 61 in Fig. 8.

The handle 38 should also be adjustable relative to an adjacent dial, provided with indexes for the various cams. While these indexes may be constituted as numerals it is better to construct the same as schematic images of the zigzag seams corresponding to the shape of the various cams. Like the cams, the indexes are preferably easily exchangeable. According to Figures 13 and 14 the dial is constituted by an annular disk 90 disposed between the handle 88 and the front side of the frame arm 2 and, preferably, rigidly connected with the sleeve 83. Index-carrying plates 91 are detachably connected with the disk, for instance by providing the latter with undercut recesses 92 in which the plates are radially inserted and retained by friction. The indexes are disposed along the dial in such a way, that each cam is opposite the cam-follower when the handle is set opposite the index of the cam in question.

By a continuous, manual adjustment of the handle 13 while any of the cams 15 is operative, it is theoretically possible to produce more complicated, patterned seams also having a varying stitch length. In order to facilitate the production of such seams the machine may be provided with a cam-controlled stitch-length regulating device also an automatic regulation of the stitch length. Such devices are known per se. Also the regulating device here in question preferably comprises a set of rotary pattern-cams mounted side by side on a common axle and displaceable axially relative to a common cam-follower and thereby selectively connectible with the feeder for a continuous, automatic control of the feed movement. These feed-control cams may be arranged in sub stantially the same manner as are the cams 15. The latter and the feed cams are preferably mounted in the hollow frame on two separate, parallel stub axles and driven with the same speed of rotation.

1 claim:

1. An ornamental stitch sewing machine comprising a hollow frame including an overhanging sewing arm, a needle carried by said frame and mounted for endwise reciprocation and for lateral swinging movement relative to said arm, means for reciprocating said needle including a drive shaft extending longitudinally of said arm,

means for rotating said drive shaft, cam mechanism including a cam shaft extending perpendicular to the axis of said drive shaft and having a free end, said arm having an opening therein opposite the free end of said cam shaft, a unit comprising a series of interconnected pattern cams, means for removably mounting said unit on said cam shaft for rotation therewith, said last-mentioned means including means permitting sliding engagement of the unit axially of said cam shaft so that said unit can be readily removed from said cam shaft and withdrawn through said opening, spring operated latch means for releasably retaining said cam unit on said cam shaft and means for turning said cam shaft in response to rotation of said drive shaft, cam follower means having a single cam-engaging head for engaging and responding to the surface of a cam of said series, pivot means mounting said follower means for swinging movement about an axis parallel to said cam shaft, means mounting said follower means and said unit for relative shifting movement within the frame so that said head can be positioned for cooperation with any one of said series of cams, means normally urging said follower and thus said head into engagement with a selected cam, means for disengaging said head from a selected cam, manually operable means operably connected within said frame with one of said follower means and unit for effecting said shifting movement and for disengaging said head from a cam whereby said head can be disengaged from one cam of said series and said head and unit can be relatively shifted to select another cam of said series, motion imparting means including a rod operably connected between said follower means and said needle for transmitting the lateral swinging movement of the follower means to said needle in response to the surface of a selected cam, said motion imparting means including an adjustable variable movement connection interposed between said rod and said follower means, and a movable handle means carried by said frame and operatively connected within the frame with said variable movement connection for adjusting the same.

2. In a sewing machine as claimed in claim 1 in which the cams are each annular members, the means mounting said unit on said cam shaft including a hub sleeve removably mounted on said cam shaft, said cams being separately and detachably mounted on said sleeve.

3. An ornamental stitch sewing machine comprising a hollow frame including an overhanging sewing arm, a needle carried by said frame and mounted for endwise reciprocation and for lateral swinging movement relative to said arm, means for reciprocating said needle including a drive shaft extending longitudinally of said arm, means for rotating said drive shaft, a cam shaft extending perpendicular to the axis of said drive shaft, a unit comprising a series of interconnected pattern cams, means mounting said unit on said cam shaft for rotation therewith, means for turning said cam shaft in response to rotation of said drive shaft, cam follower means having a single cam-engaging head for engaging and responding to the surface of a cam of said series, pivot means mounting said follower means for swinging movement about an axis parallel to said cam shaft, means mounting said follower means and said unit for relative shifting movement within the frame so that said head can be positioned for cooperation with any one of said series of cams, means normally urging said follower and thus said head into engagement with a selected cam, means for disengaging said head from a selected cam, manually operable means operably connected within said frame with one of said follower means and unit for effecting said shifting movement and for disengaging said head from a cam whereby said head can be disengaged from one cam of said series and said head and unit can be relatively shifted to select another cam of said series, motion imparting means including a rod operably connected between said follower and said needle for imparting the lateral swinging gr movement of the follower to said needle in response to the surface of a selected cam, and including an adjustable variable movement connection interposed between said rod and said follower, a movable handle means carried by said frame and operatively connected within the frame with said variable movement connection for adjusting the same, said unit further including a disc coaxial with said cams, a blocking member extending parallel to said second shaft having a side adjacent said unit, said side having a plurality of notches therein spaced apart a distance corresponding to the separation of the cams, the means for effecting relative shifting movement between said unit and said follower imparting an axial movement to said unit along said second shaft, said disc having a circumference such that a part thereof extends into a selected notch and said disc further having an inwardly extending notch in its circumference that extends circumferentially of the disc a distance greater than the thickness of the blocking member whereby axial displacement of said cam unit relative to said cam follower can be effected when the notch in said disc is opposite the said side of the blocking member.

4. An ornamental stitch sewing machine comprising a hollow frame including an overhanging sewing arm, a needle carried by said frame and mounted for endwise reciprocation and for lateral swinging movement relative to said arm, means for reciprocating said needle includ ing a drive shaft extending longitudinally of said arm, means for rotating said drive shaft, a cam shaft extending perpendicular to the axis of said drive shaft, a unit comprising a series of interconnected pattern cams, means mounting said unit on said cam shaft for rotation therewith, said last-mentioned means including means permitting sliding of the unit axially of said cam shaft, means for turning said cam shaft in response to rotation of said drive shaft, cam follower means having a single camengaging head for engaging and responding to the surface of a cam of said series, pivot means mounting said follower for swinging movement about an axis parallel to said cam shaft, means normally urging said follower means and thus said head into engagement with a selected cam, means mounting said unit and follower means for relative movement for disengaging said head from a selected cam, manually operable means operably connected within said frame with one of said follower means and unit for efiecting head disengaging movement, motion transmitting means including a rod operably connected between said follower and said needle for transmitting the lateral swinging movement of the follower to said needle in response to the surface of a selected cam, said motion transmitting means including an adjustable variable movement connection interposed between said rod and said follower, a movable handle means carried by said frame and operatively connected within the frame with said variable movement connection for adjusting the same, said unit being shiftable axially along said cam shaft relative to said cam engaging head, a rod means extending parallel to said cam shaft, said frame having an opening therein, said rod means being movable axially relative to said opening and to said unit, one end of said rod means extending exteriorly of the frame, a cam selecting handle on said one end, means on the other end of said rod means operably connected with said urnt whereby sliding movement of the handle shifts the unit to position any one of said cams for cooperation with said head and releasable catch means operably associated with the rod means for positioning the rod and the unit during cam selection.

5. An ornamental stitch sewing machine comprising a hollow frame including an overhanging sewing arm, a needle carried by said frame and mounted for endwise reciprocation and for lateral swinging movement relative to said arm, means for reciprocating said needle including a drive shaft extending longitudinally of said arm, means for rotating said drive shaft, a cam shaft extending perpendicular to the axis of said drive shaft, a unit cont prising a series of interconnected pattern cams, means mounting said unit on said cam shaft for rotation therewith, said last-mentioned means including means permitting sliding of the unit axially of said cam shaft, means for turning said cam shaft in response to rotation of said drive shaft, cam follower means having a single camengaging head for engaging and responding to the surface of a cam of said series, pivot means mounting said follower for swinging movement about an axis parallel to said cam shaft, means normally urging said follower means and thus said head into engagement with a selected cam, means mounting said unit and follower means for relative movement for disengaging said head from a selected cam, manually operable means operably connected within said frame with one of said follower and unit for effecting said head disengaging movement, motion transmitting means including a rod operably connected between said follower and said needle for imparting the lateral swinging movement of the follower to said needle in response to the surface of a selected cam, said motion transmitting means including an adjustable variable movement connection interposed between said rod and said follower, a movable handle means carried by said frame and operatively connected within the frame with said variable movement connection for adjusting the same, a rod means extending parallel to said cam shaft, said frame having an opening therein, said rod means being movable axially relative to said opening and to said unit, one end of said rod extending exteriorly of the frame, a cam selecting handle on said one end, means on the other end of said rod means operably connected with said unit whereby sliding movement of the handle shifts the unit, releasable catch means operably associated with the rod means for positioning the rod means and the unit during cam selection, another handle including a part operably associated within said last-mentioned opening in the frame for turning movement therein, means connected between said part of said handle and said adjustable variable movement connection and operable to vary the position thereof longitudinally of said pitman, said last-mentioned handle having a bore therethrough parallel to said cam shaft, said rod means being slidable in said bore and said catch means being carried by the part of said handle within said opening.

6. In an ornamental stitch sewing machine a hollow frame, a needle means carried by said frame and mounted for longitudinal reciprocation and for lateral swinging movement, a drive shaft mounted within said frame for reciprocating said needle, a cam shaft mounted within said frame, means connected between said drive shaft and cam shaft for turning said cam shaft a fraction of a revolution for each complete needle reciprocation, a plurality of cams mounted as a unit on said cam shaft for simultaneous rotation therewith, a follower having a single cam-engaging head, means mounting said follower so that the head can respond to the surface of a selected cam, said head and unit being relatively shiftable lengthwise of said cam shaft for cam selection purposes, a first manually operable means within the frame and manipulatable exteriorly of the frame for relatively positioning said head and unit for cam selection purposes by moving one of said unit and head relative to the other, said manually operable means including a movable member shiftable in a direction parallel to said cam shaft establishing a tongue and groove connection between said movable member and the shiftable one of said unit and follower, said tongue and groove connection extending in a plane transversely of said cam shaft, and a manipulatable handle means including a member movably mounted relative to the front of the frame and operably connected with said movable member forimparting cam selection movement to one of said unit and follower, and rod means connecting said head with said needle for '11 imparting lateral swinging movement to the needle in response to the surface of a selected cam.

7. In an ornamental stitch sewing machine a hollow frame, a needle means carried by said frame and mounted for longitudinal reciprocation and for lateral swinging movement, a drive shaft mounted within said frame for reciprocating said needle, a cam shaft mounted within said frame, means connected between said drive shaft and cam shaft for turningsaid cam shaft a fraction of a revolution for each complete needle reciprocation, a plurality of cams mounted as a unit on said cam shaft for simultaneous rotation therewith, a follower having a single cam-engaging head, means mounting said follower so that the head can respond to the surface of a selected cam, said head and unit being relatively shiftable lengthwise of said cam shaft for cam selection purposes, a first manually operable means within the frame and manipulatable exteriorly of the frame for relatively positioning said head and unit for cam selection purposes by moving one of said unit and head relative to the other, said manually operable means including a movable member shiftable axially in a direction parallel to said cam shaft, means establishing a tongue and groove connection between said movable member and the shiftable one of said unit and follower, said tongue and groove connection extending in a plane transversely of said cam shaft, and a manipulatable handle means including a member movably mounted relative to the front wall of the frame and operably connected with said movable member for imparting cam selection movement to one of said unit and follower, means operably interconnected between said follower and needle for imparting lateral swinging movement to the needle in response to the contour of a selected cam including a rod means connected at one end to said needle, a guide member, means including a pivot mounting said guide member for swinging movement, said follower being connected to said guide member so as to swing the latter in response to the surface of a selected cam, means at the other end of said rod means for making a connection with said guide member, spring means attached to said rod means for normally urging the rod means and thus the guide member and follower toward a selected cam, second manually operable means within the frame for varying the distance between the point of connection of said rod means with said guide member and the axis of the pivot mounting said guide member for swinging movement so as to vary the amplitude of movement imparted to said needle by said follower means, third manually operable means within said frame for adjusting the position of said pivot substantially in the longitudinal direction of said rod means so as to adjust the needle stitch field, and handle means connected within the frame with said second and third manually operable means and extending outside the confines of said frame for operating said second and third manually operable means.

8. In an ornamental stitch sewing machine a hollow frame, a needle means carried by said frame and mounted for longitudinal reciprocation and for lateral swinging movement, a drive shaft mounted within said frame for reciprocating said needle, a cam shaft mounted within said frame, means connected between said drive shaft and cam shaft for turning said cam shaft a fraction of a revolution for each complete needle reciprocation, a plurality of cams mounted as a unit on said cam shaft for simultaneous rotation therewith, a follower having a single cam-engaging head, means mounting said follower so that the head can respond to the surface of a selected cam, said head and unit being relatively shiftable lengthwise of said cam shaft for cam selection purposes, a first manually operable means within the frame and manipulatable exteriorly of the frame for relatively positioning said head and unit for cam selection purposes by moving one of said unit and head relative to the other, said manually .opera em aa i c uding a m bl em shiftable in a direction parallel to said cam shaft, means establishing a tongue and groove connection between said movable member and the shiftable one of said unit and follower, said tongue and groove connection extending in a plane transversely of said cam shaft, a manipulatable handle means including a member movably mounted relative to the front of the frame and operably connected with said movable member for imparting cam selection movement to one of said unit and follower, means operably interconnected between said follower and needle for imparting lateral swinging movement to the needle in response to the contour of a selected cam including a rod means connected at one end to said needle, a guide member, means including a pivot mounting said guide member for swinging movement, said follower being connected to said guide member so as to swing the latter in response to the surface of a selected cam, means at the other end of said rod means for making a connection with said guide member, spring means attached to said rod means for normally urging the rod means and thus the guide memher and follower toward a selected cam, second manually operable means within the frame for varying the distance between the point of connection of said rod means with said guide member and the axis of the pivot mounting said guide member for swinging movement so as to vary the amplitude of movement imparted to said needle by said follower means, third manually operable means within said frame for adjusting the position of said pivot substantially in the longitudinal direction of said rod means so as to adjust the needle stitch field, handle means connected within the frame with said second and third manually operable means and extending outside the confines of said frame for operating said second and third manually operable means, said last-mentioned handle means comprising a separate handle connected within the frame to each of said second and third manually operable means, said first-mentioned handle that is movable for cam selection purposes and the handle operably connected with said third manually operable means for adjusting the stitch field being mounted one within the other, and means mounting said last-mentioned handle for turning movement relative to the front of said frame.

9. In an ornamental stitch sewing machine a hollow frame, a needle means carried by said frame and mounted for longitudinal reciprocation and for lateral swinging movement, a drive shaft mounted within said frame for reciprocating said needle, a cam shaft mounted within said frame, means connected between said drive shaft and cam shaft for turning said cam shaft a fraction of a revolution for each complete needle reciprocation, a plurality of cams mounted as a unit on said cam shaft for simultaneous rotation therewith, a follower having a single cam-engaging head, means mounting said following so that the head can respond to the surface of a selected cam, said head and unit being relatively shiftable lengthwise of said cam shaft for cam selection purposes, a first manually operable means within the frame and manipulatable exteriorly of the frame for relatively positioning said head and unit for cam selection purposes by moving one of said unit and head relative to the other, said manually operable means including a movable member shiftable parallel to said cam shaft, means establishing a tongue and groove connection between said moveable member and the shiftable one of said unit and follower, s aid tongue and groove connection extending in a plane transversely of said cam shaft, a manipulatable handle means including a member movably mounted relative to the front of the frame and operably connected with said movable member for imparting cam selection movement to one of said unit and follower, means interconnecting said follower and said needle for imparting lateral swinging movement to the needle including a movable member within the frame displaceable relative to said cam shaft to diiferent positions corresponding to different starting positions for a cam produced nig-zag seam, a

second manually operable means within the frame for selectively displacing said movable member to said different positions, a handle connected Within the frame with said second manually operable means and extending outside the confines of said frame for actuating said second manually operable means so as to adjust the starting positions of a zig-zag seam, said handles being mounted one within theother and means mounting the handle connected with said second manually operable means for turning movement relative to the front of said frame.

10. An ornamental stitch sewing machine, including a hollow frame, a needle carried by said frame and mounted for endwise reciprocation and for lateral swinging movements, a drive shaft mounted within the frame for reciprocating said needle, means for rotating said drive shaft, cam mechanism including a cam shaft Within the frame, means connected between said drive shaft and said cam shaft for turning the latter, at least one cam providing a cam unit carried by said cam shaft, a follower means for cooperation with said cam unit, means operably connected between said needle and said follower for transmitting cam controlled movement of the follower to the needle to laterally swing the needle, a stub shaft fixed by said frame and having an outer free end, said frame having an opening opposite the end of said stub shaft, a pattern cam support means rotatably mounted on said stub shaft, and having a driving connection with said drive shaft, said support means having a free end facing said opening, a driver element carried by said support means and extending toward said opening, said cam being adapted for sliding engagement with said support and having an aperture for receiving said driver element whereby rotation of the support turns said cam, means extending axially beyond said cam and resilient means acting radially of the surface of the cam and cooperating with said axially extending means for preventing accidental removal of the cam.

11. A sewing machine as defined in claim 10, in which said cam shaft comprises a hollow shaft rotatably mounted on said stub shaft, a drive gear on said hollow shaft adjacent one end, said cam unit being slidably received on the opposite end of said hollow shaft, cam unit retaining means on said stub shaft, said axially extending means being of less diameter than said cam and releasable cam unit retaining means carried by said axially extending means for cooperating with said first mentioned cam unit retaining means.

12. A sewing machine as defined in claim 10, in which said stub shaft is provided with a radially opening recess and said resilient means removably engages said recess.

13. In a zig-zag stitch sewing machine of the type including a hollow sewing arm carrying a needle bar mounted for longitudinal reciprocation and lateral swinging movement, the improvement comprising drive means within the arm for reciprocating the needle bar, motion imparting means also within the arm and driven by said drive means for imparting lateral swinging movement to said needle bar and including rotatable pattern cam means driven by said drive means, follower means engageable with and disengageable from said cam means and connecting means operably connected between said follower means and said needle bar for converting rotary movement of said cam means into lateral swinging movement of said needle bar in accordance with the throw imparted to said follower by said cam means, said connecting means further including means for varying the lateral swinging movement of said needle bar, said follower having a single cam engaging head, a flanged member rotatably mounted on said arm and driven by said drive means, a pin extending axially from the flange of said flanged member, said cam means comprising a flanged sleeve slidable on said flanged member, the flange of said sleeve having an aperture, a series of annular edge cams disposed on said sleeve in closely adjacent relation, each cam having an aperture alignable with the aperture of the flange of said sleeve, a second sleeve received in the aligned apertures in said cams, said pin extending through the aperture in the flange of said flanged sleeve and into said second sleeve to drive said flanged sleeve and said cams and means for clamping said cams together and against the flange on said flanged sleeve to provide a unit axially movable on said flanged member relative to said follower means to selectively position any one of the cams with its edge surface opposite to and for cooperation with said head, means for removably retaining said unit on said flanged member and manually operable means operatively associated with said cam means and manipulatable exteriorly of the arm for shifting said series of cams and means for retaining said series of cams in selected adjusted positions.

14. In a zig-zag stitch sewing machine of the type including a hollow sewing arm carrying a needle bar mounted for longitudinal reciprocation and lateral swinging movement, the improvement comprising a plurality of rotary stitch regulating pattern cams mounted side by side in said arm, a hub shoulder on one side of each cam, a spring urged cam follower engaging one of said cams and connected to said needle bar, means for moving said follower out of engagement with said cam, a hub sleeve, said cams being separate and detachably mounted on said hub sleeve, a stub shaft carried by said arm and terminating in a free end, said sleeve being mounted on said shaft, said arm having an opening therein opposite the free end of said shaft, a flange on one end of said sleeve and a nut received on the opposite end of said sleeve for clamping said cams thereon, said nut being of less diameter than said cams, axially extending means on said sleeve, means on each cam receiving said axially extending means for fixing the angular position of said cams on said sleeve and drive means on said stub shaft slidably and drivingly engaging said sleeve, said cams being axially removable through said opening.

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